Fern Persons, 1910-2012
Worked for decades as actress in radio, TV, films, commercials and stage
August 01, 2012 By Joan Giangrasse Kates, Special to the Tribune
Fern Persons worked for decades as an actress in radio, TV, films, commercials and stage.
Fern Persons was a Chicago theater, radio and film institution for more than eight decades, becoming a familiar face through roles in everything from "The Mickey Mouse Club" on television to the movies "Field of Dreams" and "Hoosiers."
Mrs. Persons also spent decades organizing with the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, most notably on projects aimed at increasing job opportunities for older members.
Mrs. Persons, 101, died of natural causes Sunday, July 22, in Littleton, Colo., five days short of her 102nd birthday. She had moved to Colorado in 2010 to be closer to her daughter, Nancy Rockafellow. She was formerly of Evanston.
Mrs. Persons' credits also included "Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy" on radio and the movie"Risky Business."Working into her late 90s, she played a rapping grandmother on numerous commercials.
JoBe Cerny, a Chicago actor, writer, producer and director who was the voice of the Pillsbury Doughboy, directed Mrs. Persons in one of her last performances, a commercial.
"The last time Fern came to my studio, she was 991/2 years old," said Cerny, owner of Cerny/American Creative, a downtown production company. "We helped her up the stairs, and she was as feisty as ever. Once we got going, she lit up the room. She still had it."
Mrs. Persons was a staunch advocate for her fellow performers through her union work, walking a picket line at age 90 to protest a Chicago-area car company's use of nonunion members for a commercial while the actors union was on strike.
"She was out there doing the yeoman's work," said Eileen Willenborg, the recently retired Chicago executive director of SAG-AFTRA. "She'd go to auditions and walk up to her fellow actors and say in that oh-so-theatrical way of hers, 'Darling, you really should get involved in our union if you want to have a say in your future.'"
Born Fern Gwendolyn Ball in Chicago, her family moved to Kalamazoo, Mich., when she was a child. She received a bachelor's degree in drama from Kalamazoo College in 1933 and later a bachelor's degree in fine arts in acting from the Carnegie Institute of Technology, which later became Carnegie Mellon University, in Pittsburgh.
In college she met Max Persons, whom she married in 1935. She worked briefly in Detroit radio after leaving Carnegie before the couple and their newborn daughter moved to Chicago for her to continue her career in the late 1930s.
She already had joined AFRA (there was no T for television yet), and her early work included other radio programs such as "The Baxters," "Bud Barton" and "Cavalcade of America." She also played Mary Todd Lincoln opposite Raymond Massey in "The Story of Abe Lincoln."
When the Chicago branch of SAG opened in 1953, she was the fifth member to join. In 1955 she enjoyed one of her first successes in television on "The Mickey Mouse Club" in an eight-part series called "Adventure in Dairyland."
She was the popular host of the talk show "Panorama Shop" and acted in early TV shows such as"The Untouchables," "Missing Persons" and "Hard Knox," as well as more recent Chicago-based shows "Early Edition," "ER" "Jack and Mike" and "Chicago Story."
Her husband's death in 1971 left her devastated, her daughter said.
"She was at a very low point and was looking for more meaning in her life," her daughter said. "I said, 'Mom, why don't you go back to doing what you do best, acting?' With that, a light seemed to go off in her head. She returned to her first love — the stage."
Mrs. Persons performed in theaters all over the country, including the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis and the Goodman and Northlight theaters in the Chicago area.
"She (did) movies, commercials and a great deal of radio and voice-over work," her daughter said. "But ever since high school, the stage was her favorite medium."
She was nominated for Joseph Jefferson Awards for best actress in back-to-back years for performances at the Northlight in "The Gin Game" (1981) and "Les Belles Souers" (1982).
"She'd bury herself deep inside the heart and soul of her character," her daughter said. "It was her natural empathy that gave her a deep understanding of people, of humanity in general."
Mrs. Persons also worked with some of Hollywood's biggest names. In "Hoosiers" she played Opal Fleener, the mother of Gene Hackman's love interest, Barbara Hershey, who implores her to give Hackman's character a chance. She was also Kevin Costner's mother-in-law in "Field of Dreams" and played a lab teacher in "Risky Business," the movie that launched Tom Cruise.
In 1999, Mayor Richard Daley declared July 27 — her 89th birthday — "Fern Persons Day," for her dedication to improving the lives of Chicago actors and performers and for her contributions to the arts.
Mrs. Persons served on the SAG national board from 1976 to 1998, on SAG's Chicago Branch Council for 44 years and on the AFTRA Chicago Local Board for more than 30 years.
A recipient of the AFTRA Founders Award in 2006 and SAG's Howard Keel Award in 2009, Mrs. Persons also was a frequent speaker at national union board meetings well into her 90s.
"She'd get up to the microphone and deliver a speech with so much warmth and wit, you couldn't help but be moved in some way," Willenborg said. "Her speeches were succinct, persuasive and well-stated. In her own way, she'd captivate her audience."
In addition to her daughter, Mrs. Persons is survived by three grandsons and six great-grandchildren.
Services were held.∼Fern Persons, formerly of Evanston, passed away on July 22 in Littleton, CO, five days before her 102nd birthday. Her life centered on her family, her career, and her work as a union contributor and national officer. A graduate of Kalamazoo College (BA) and Carnegie Mellon Institute (MA), Fern enjoyed a long and successful acting career on the stage, on radio and television, and in films. Her stage credits include appearances at the Goodman Theater in Chicago, the Guthrie in Minneapolis, and in many other productions throughout the country. Following roles in radio series in the 30s and 40s, she hosted her own Chicago television show, Panorama Shop, in the early '50s, and later performed in several television series including Early Edition and ER. Movie appearances included Hoosiers, Risky Business, Field of Dreams, Curly Sue, and Prelude to a Kiss. As a contributor to and officer of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and Screen Actors Guild for most of her adult life, Fern's long term goal was finally realized this spring when AFTRA and SAG merged to form one strong media-oriented union. Fern was preceded in death by her husband, Max Irving Persons;*** Max Persons (October 1935 - November 1971)*** survived by their daughter, Nancy Rockafellow of Cherry Hills Village, CO, three grandsons and six great-grandchildren. A celebration of her life will take place on Monday, July 30 at 1 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 516 Church St., Evanston. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Fern may be made to a charity of choice. Arrangements by N.H. Scott & Hanekamp Funeral Home, 847-998-1020.
Published in Chicago Tribune on July 26, 2012.
Worked for decades as actress in radio, TV, films, commercials and stage
August 01, 2012 By Joan Giangrasse Kates, Special to the Tribune
Fern Persons worked for decades as an actress in radio, TV, films, commercials and stage.
Fern Persons was a Chicago theater, radio and film institution for more than eight decades, becoming a familiar face through roles in everything from "The Mickey Mouse Club" on television to the movies "Field of Dreams" and "Hoosiers."
Mrs. Persons also spent decades organizing with the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, most notably on projects aimed at increasing job opportunities for older members.
Mrs. Persons, 101, died of natural causes Sunday, July 22, in Littleton, Colo., five days short of her 102nd birthday. She had moved to Colorado in 2010 to be closer to her daughter, Nancy Rockafellow. She was formerly of Evanston.
Mrs. Persons' credits also included "Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy" on radio and the movie"Risky Business."Working into her late 90s, she played a rapping grandmother on numerous commercials.
JoBe Cerny, a Chicago actor, writer, producer and director who was the voice of the Pillsbury Doughboy, directed Mrs. Persons in one of her last performances, a commercial.
"The last time Fern came to my studio, she was 991/2 years old," said Cerny, owner of Cerny/American Creative, a downtown production company. "We helped her up the stairs, and she was as feisty as ever. Once we got going, she lit up the room. She still had it."
Mrs. Persons was a staunch advocate for her fellow performers through her union work, walking a picket line at age 90 to protest a Chicago-area car company's use of nonunion members for a commercial while the actors union was on strike.
"She was out there doing the yeoman's work," said Eileen Willenborg, the recently retired Chicago executive director of SAG-AFTRA. "She'd go to auditions and walk up to her fellow actors and say in that oh-so-theatrical way of hers, 'Darling, you really should get involved in our union if you want to have a say in your future.'"
Born Fern Gwendolyn Ball in Chicago, her family moved to Kalamazoo, Mich., when she was a child. She received a bachelor's degree in drama from Kalamazoo College in 1933 and later a bachelor's degree in fine arts in acting from the Carnegie Institute of Technology, which later became Carnegie Mellon University, in Pittsburgh.
In college she met Max Persons, whom she married in 1935. She worked briefly in Detroit radio after leaving Carnegie before the couple and their newborn daughter moved to Chicago for her to continue her career in the late 1930s.
She already had joined AFRA (there was no T for television yet), and her early work included other radio programs such as "The Baxters," "Bud Barton" and "Cavalcade of America." She also played Mary Todd Lincoln opposite Raymond Massey in "The Story of Abe Lincoln."
When the Chicago branch of SAG opened in 1953, she was the fifth member to join. In 1955 she enjoyed one of her first successes in television on "The Mickey Mouse Club" in an eight-part series called "Adventure in Dairyland."
She was the popular host of the talk show "Panorama Shop" and acted in early TV shows such as"The Untouchables," "Missing Persons" and "Hard Knox," as well as more recent Chicago-based shows "Early Edition," "ER" "Jack and Mike" and "Chicago Story."
Her husband's death in 1971 left her devastated, her daughter said.
"She was at a very low point and was looking for more meaning in her life," her daughter said. "I said, 'Mom, why don't you go back to doing what you do best, acting?' With that, a light seemed to go off in her head. She returned to her first love — the stage."
Mrs. Persons performed in theaters all over the country, including the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis and the Goodman and Northlight theaters in the Chicago area.
"She (did) movies, commercials and a great deal of radio and voice-over work," her daughter said. "But ever since high school, the stage was her favorite medium."
She was nominated for Joseph Jefferson Awards for best actress in back-to-back years for performances at the Northlight in "The Gin Game" (1981) and "Les Belles Souers" (1982).
"She'd bury herself deep inside the heart and soul of her character," her daughter said. "It was her natural empathy that gave her a deep understanding of people, of humanity in general."
Mrs. Persons also worked with some of Hollywood's biggest names. In "Hoosiers" she played Opal Fleener, the mother of Gene Hackman's love interest, Barbara Hershey, who implores her to give Hackman's character a chance. She was also Kevin Costner's mother-in-law in "Field of Dreams" and played a lab teacher in "Risky Business," the movie that launched Tom Cruise.
In 1999, Mayor Richard Daley declared July 27 — her 89th birthday — "Fern Persons Day," for her dedication to improving the lives of Chicago actors and performers and for her contributions to the arts.
Mrs. Persons served on the SAG national board from 1976 to 1998, on SAG's Chicago Branch Council for 44 years and on the AFTRA Chicago Local Board for more than 30 years.
A recipient of the AFTRA Founders Award in 2006 and SAG's Howard Keel Award in 2009, Mrs. Persons also was a frequent speaker at national union board meetings well into her 90s.
"She'd get up to the microphone and deliver a speech with so much warmth and wit, you couldn't help but be moved in some way," Willenborg said. "Her speeches were succinct, persuasive and well-stated. In her own way, she'd captivate her audience."
In addition to her daughter, Mrs. Persons is survived by three grandsons and six great-grandchildren.
Services were held.∼Fern Persons, formerly of Evanston, passed away on July 22 in Littleton, CO, five days before her 102nd birthday. Her life centered on her family, her career, and her work as a union contributor and national officer. A graduate of Kalamazoo College (BA) and Carnegie Mellon Institute (MA), Fern enjoyed a long and successful acting career on the stage, on radio and television, and in films. Her stage credits include appearances at the Goodman Theater in Chicago, the Guthrie in Minneapolis, and in many other productions throughout the country. Following roles in radio series in the 30s and 40s, she hosted her own Chicago television show, Panorama Shop, in the early '50s, and later performed in several television series including Early Edition and ER. Movie appearances included Hoosiers, Risky Business, Field of Dreams, Curly Sue, and Prelude to a Kiss. As a contributor to and officer of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and Screen Actors Guild for most of her adult life, Fern's long term goal was finally realized this spring when AFTRA and SAG merged to form one strong media-oriented union. Fern was preceded in death by her husband, Max Irving Persons;*** Max Persons (October 1935 - November 1971)*** survived by their daughter, Nancy Rockafellow of Cherry Hills Village, CO, three grandsons and six great-grandchildren. A celebration of her life will take place on Monday, July 30 at 1 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 516 Church St., Evanston. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Fern may be made to a charity of choice. Arrangements by N.H. Scott & Hanekamp Funeral Home, 847-998-1020.
Published in Chicago Tribune on July 26, 2012.
Fern Persons, 1910-2012
Worked for decades as actress in radio, TV, films, commercials and stage
August 01, 2012 By Joan Giangrasse Kates, Special to the Tribune
Fern Persons worked for decades as an actress in radio, TV, films, commercials and stage.
Fern Persons was a Chicago theater, radio and film institution for more than eight decades, becoming a familiar face through roles in everything from "The Mickey Mouse Club" on television to the movies "Field of Dreams" and "Hoosiers."
Mrs. Persons also spent decades organizing with the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, most notably on projects aimed at increasing job opportunities for older members.
Mrs. Persons, 101, died of natural causes Sunday, July 22, in Littleton, Colo., five days short of her 102nd birthday. She had moved to Colorado in 2010 to be closer to her daughter, Nancy Rockafellow. She was formerly of Evanston.
Mrs. Persons' credits also included "Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy" on radio and the movie"Risky Business."Working into her late 90s, she played a rapping grandmother on numerous commercials.
JoBe Cerny, a Chicago actor, writer, producer and director who was the voice of the Pillsbury Doughboy, directed Mrs. Persons in one of her last performances, a commercial.
"The last time Fern came to my studio, she was 991/2 years old," said Cerny, owner of Cerny/American Creative, a downtown production company. "We helped her up the stairs, and she was as feisty as ever. Once we got going, she lit up the room. She still had it."
Mrs. Persons was a staunch advocate for her fellow performers through her union work, walking a picket line at age 90 to protest a Chicago-area car company's use of nonunion members for a commercial while the actors union was on strike.
"She was out there doing the yeoman's work," said Eileen Willenborg, the recently retired Chicago executive director of SAG-AFTRA. "She'd go to auditions and walk up to her fellow actors and say in that oh-so-theatrical way of hers, 'Darling, you really should get involved in our union if you want to have a say in your future.'"
Born Fern Gwendolyn Ball in Chicago, her family moved to Kalamazoo, Mich., when she was a child. She received a bachelor's degree in drama from Kalamazoo College in 1933 and later a bachelor's degree in fine arts in acting from the Carnegie Institute of Technology, which later became Carnegie Mellon University, in Pittsburgh.
In college she met Max Persons, whom she married in 1935. She worked briefly in Detroit radio after leaving Carnegie before the couple and their newborn daughter moved to Chicago for her to continue her career in the late 1930s.
She already had joined AFRA (there was no T for television yet), and her early work included other radio programs such as "The Baxters," "Bud Barton" and "Cavalcade of America." She also played Mary Todd Lincoln opposite Raymond Massey in "The Story of Abe Lincoln."
When the Chicago branch of SAG opened in 1953, she was the fifth member to join. In 1955 she enjoyed one of her first successes in television on "The Mickey Mouse Club" in an eight-part series called "Adventure in Dairyland."
She was the popular host of the talk show "Panorama Shop" and acted in early TV shows such as"The Untouchables," "Missing Persons" and "Hard Knox," as well as more recent Chicago-based shows "Early Edition," "ER" "Jack and Mike" and "Chicago Story."
Her husband's death in 1971 left her devastated, her daughter said.
"She was at a very low point and was looking for more meaning in her life," her daughter said. "I said, 'Mom, why don't you go back to doing what you do best, acting?' With that, a light seemed to go off in her head. She returned to her first love — the stage."
Mrs. Persons performed in theaters all over the country, including the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis and the Goodman and Northlight theaters in the Chicago area.
"She (did) movies, commercials and a great deal of radio and voice-over work," her daughter said. "But ever since high school, the stage was her favorite medium."
She was nominated for Joseph Jefferson Awards for best actress in back-to-back years for performances at the Northlight in "The Gin Game" (1981) and "Les Belles Souers" (1982).
"She'd bury herself deep inside the heart and soul of her character," her daughter said. "It was her natural empathy that gave her a deep understanding of people, of humanity in general."
Mrs. Persons also worked with some of Hollywood's biggest names. In "Hoosiers" she played Opal Fleener, the mother of Gene Hackman's love interest, Barbara Hershey, who implores her to give Hackman's character a chance. She was also Kevin Costner's mother-in-law in "Field of Dreams" and played a lab teacher in "Risky Business," the movie that launched Tom Cruise.
In 1999, Mayor Richard Daley declared July 27 — her 89th birthday — "Fern Persons Day," for her dedication to improving the lives of Chicago actors and performers and for her contributions to the arts.
Mrs. Persons served on the SAG national board from 1976 to 1998, on SAG's Chicago Branch Council for 44 years and on the AFTRA Chicago Local Board for more than 30 years.
A recipient of the AFTRA Founders Award in 2006 and SAG's Howard Keel Award in 2009, Mrs. Persons also was a frequent speaker at national union board meetings well into her 90s.
"She'd get up to the microphone and deliver a speech with so much warmth and wit, you couldn't help but be moved in some way," Willenborg said. "Her speeches were succinct, persuasive and well-stated. In her own way, she'd captivate her audience."
In addition to her daughter, Mrs. Persons is survived by three grandsons and six great-grandchildren.
Services were held.∼Fern Persons, formerly of Evanston, passed away on July 22 in Littleton, CO, five days before her 102nd birthday. Her life centered on her family, her career, and her work as a union contributor and national officer. A graduate of Kalamazoo College (BA) and Carnegie Mellon Institute (MA), Fern enjoyed a long and successful acting career on the stage, on radio and television, and in films. Her stage credits include appearances at the Goodman Theater in Chicago, the Guthrie in Minneapolis, and in many other productions throughout the country. Following roles in radio series in the 30s and 40s, she hosted her own Chicago television show, Panorama Shop, in the early '50s, and later performed in several television series including Early Edition and ER. Movie appearances included Hoosiers, Risky Business, Field of Dreams, Curly Sue, and Prelude to a Kiss. As a contributor to and officer of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and Screen Actors Guild for most of her adult life, Fern's long term goal was finally realized this spring when AFTRA and SAG merged to form one strong media-oriented union. Fern was preceded in death by her husband, Max Irving Persons;*** Max Persons (October 1935 - November 1971)*** survived by their daughter, Nancy Rockafellow of Cherry Hills Village, CO, three grandsons and six great-grandchildren. A celebration of her life will take place on Monday, July 30 at 1 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 516 Church St., Evanston. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Fern may be made to a charity of choice. Arrangements by N.H. Scott & Hanekamp Funeral Home, 847-998-1020.
Published in Chicago Tribune on July 26, 2012.
Worked for decades as actress in radio, TV, films, commercials and stage
August 01, 2012 By Joan Giangrasse Kates, Special to the Tribune
Fern Persons worked for decades as an actress in radio, TV, films, commercials and stage.
Fern Persons was a Chicago theater, radio and film institution for more than eight decades, becoming a familiar face through roles in everything from "The Mickey Mouse Club" on television to the movies "Field of Dreams" and "Hoosiers."
Mrs. Persons also spent decades organizing with the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, most notably on projects aimed at increasing job opportunities for older members.
Mrs. Persons, 101, died of natural causes Sunday, July 22, in Littleton, Colo., five days short of her 102nd birthday. She had moved to Colorado in 2010 to be closer to her daughter, Nancy Rockafellow. She was formerly of Evanston.
Mrs. Persons' credits also included "Jack Armstrong, the All-American Boy" on radio and the movie"Risky Business."Working into her late 90s, she played a rapping grandmother on numerous commercials.
JoBe Cerny, a Chicago actor, writer, producer and director who was the voice of the Pillsbury Doughboy, directed Mrs. Persons in one of her last performances, a commercial.
"The last time Fern came to my studio, she was 991/2 years old," said Cerny, owner of Cerny/American Creative, a downtown production company. "We helped her up the stairs, and she was as feisty as ever. Once we got going, she lit up the room. She still had it."
Mrs. Persons was a staunch advocate for her fellow performers through her union work, walking a picket line at age 90 to protest a Chicago-area car company's use of nonunion members for a commercial while the actors union was on strike.
"She was out there doing the yeoman's work," said Eileen Willenborg, the recently retired Chicago executive director of SAG-AFTRA. "She'd go to auditions and walk up to her fellow actors and say in that oh-so-theatrical way of hers, 'Darling, you really should get involved in our union if you want to have a say in your future.'"
Born Fern Gwendolyn Ball in Chicago, her family moved to Kalamazoo, Mich., when she was a child. She received a bachelor's degree in drama from Kalamazoo College in 1933 and later a bachelor's degree in fine arts in acting from the Carnegie Institute of Technology, which later became Carnegie Mellon University, in Pittsburgh.
In college she met Max Persons, whom she married in 1935. She worked briefly in Detroit radio after leaving Carnegie before the couple and their newborn daughter moved to Chicago for her to continue her career in the late 1930s.
She already had joined AFRA (there was no T for television yet), and her early work included other radio programs such as "The Baxters," "Bud Barton" and "Cavalcade of America." She also played Mary Todd Lincoln opposite Raymond Massey in "The Story of Abe Lincoln."
When the Chicago branch of SAG opened in 1953, she was the fifth member to join. In 1955 she enjoyed one of her first successes in television on "The Mickey Mouse Club" in an eight-part series called "Adventure in Dairyland."
She was the popular host of the talk show "Panorama Shop" and acted in early TV shows such as"The Untouchables," "Missing Persons" and "Hard Knox," as well as more recent Chicago-based shows "Early Edition," "ER" "Jack and Mike" and "Chicago Story."
Her husband's death in 1971 left her devastated, her daughter said.
"She was at a very low point and was looking for more meaning in her life," her daughter said. "I said, 'Mom, why don't you go back to doing what you do best, acting?' With that, a light seemed to go off in her head. She returned to her first love — the stage."
Mrs. Persons performed in theaters all over the country, including the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis and the Goodman and Northlight theaters in the Chicago area.
"She (did) movies, commercials and a great deal of radio and voice-over work," her daughter said. "But ever since high school, the stage was her favorite medium."
She was nominated for Joseph Jefferson Awards for best actress in back-to-back years for performances at the Northlight in "The Gin Game" (1981) and "Les Belles Souers" (1982).
"She'd bury herself deep inside the heart and soul of her character," her daughter said. "It was her natural empathy that gave her a deep understanding of people, of humanity in general."
Mrs. Persons also worked with some of Hollywood's biggest names. In "Hoosiers" she played Opal Fleener, the mother of Gene Hackman's love interest, Barbara Hershey, who implores her to give Hackman's character a chance. She was also Kevin Costner's mother-in-law in "Field of Dreams" and played a lab teacher in "Risky Business," the movie that launched Tom Cruise.
In 1999, Mayor Richard Daley declared July 27 — her 89th birthday — "Fern Persons Day," for her dedication to improving the lives of Chicago actors and performers and for her contributions to the arts.
Mrs. Persons served on the SAG national board from 1976 to 1998, on SAG's Chicago Branch Council for 44 years and on the AFTRA Chicago Local Board for more than 30 years.
A recipient of the AFTRA Founders Award in 2006 and SAG's Howard Keel Award in 2009, Mrs. Persons also was a frequent speaker at national union board meetings well into her 90s.
"She'd get up to the microphone and deliver a speech with so much warmth and wit, you couldn't help but be moved in some way," Willenborg said. "Her speeches were succinct, persuasive and well-stated. In her own way, she'd captivate her audience."
In addition to her daughter, Mrs. Persons is survived by three grandsons and six great-grandchildren.
Services were held.∼Fern Persons, formerly of Evanston, passed away on July 22 in Littleton, CO, five days before her 102nd birthday. Her life centered on her family, her career, and her work as a union contributor and national officer. A graduate of Kalamazoo College (BA) and Carnegie Mellon Institute (MA), Fern enjoyed a long and successful acting career on the stage, on radio and television, and in films. Her stage credits include appearances at the Goodman Theater in Chicago, the Guthrie in Minneapolis, and in many other productions throughout the country. Following roles in radio series in the 30s and 40s, she hosted her own Chicago television show, Panorama Shop, in the early '50s, and later performed in several television series including Early Edition and ER. Movie appearances included Hoosiers, Risky Business, Field of Dreams, Curly Sue, and Prelude to a Kiss. As a contributor to and officer of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and Screen Actors Guild for most of her adult life, Fern's long term goal was finally realized this spring when AFTRA and SAG merged to form one strong media-oriented union. Fern was preceded in death by her husband, Max Irving Persons;*** Max Persons (October 1935 - November 1971)*** survived by their daughter, Nancy Rockafellow of Cherry Hills Village, CO, three grandsons and six great-grandchildren. A celebration of her life will take place on Monday, July 30 at 1 p.m. at First United Methodist Church, 516 Church St., Evanston. In lieu of flowers, contributions in memory of Fern may be made to a charity of choice. Arrangements by N.H. Scott & Hanekamp Funeral Home, 847-998-1020.
Published in Chicago Tribune on July 26, 2012.
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